Target apparatus.



PATENTEI) AUG. 23, 1904.

J. IL. MOCULLOUGH.

TARGET APPARATUS.

ArPLIoATIoN FILED Nov. s, 190s.

NO MODEL.A

177/717/ Ilz A TTOH/VE Y W/ TNE SSE S: 'XZ/WM PATENTED AUG. 23, 1904.

J. L. MOGULLOUGH.

TARGET APPARATUS. A'PLIOATION FILED NOV; 5, 1903.

N o MODEL.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

A TTOHNEY,

No. 768,536. PATENTE!) AUG. 23, 1904. J.. L. MGGULLOUGH.

TARGET APPARATUS.

APPLIUATION FILED Nov. 5. 190s. No MODEL. a sums-snm a` ivo. 768,536.

' UNITED STATES Patented August 23, 1904.

PATENT OEEIcE.

JOHN L. MoCULLOUGI-I, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO AUTOMATIC TARGET MACHINE COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

l TARGET APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 768,536, dated August 23, 1904.

Application filed November 5, 1903. Serial No. 179,892. (No model.)

To L7/Z whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN L. MoCULLoGH-,a

' citizen of the United States,res iding in the borough of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings, in the city and State of New York, have invented certain Improvements in Target Apparatus, of which the following is a specica'tion.

This invention relates to the class of target apparatus wherein is employed an imitation irearm, such` as a 'gun or pistol, mounted on a joint which permits it to be aimed at a target and wherein y on pulling the trigger the point aimed at is indicated automatically onthe target. A device of this general character is shown in the United States Patent No. 708,245, granted to me September 2, 1902.

The object of the vpresent invention is to provide a simple and relatively inexpensive recreation device or apparatus for eecting the purpose explained above. The apparatus maybe used in conjunction with a coin vor check controlled device, if desired; but as a coin-controlled device forms no essential part of the present invention it has not been considered necessary to illustrate such a mechanism herein.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one form or embodiment of the 'invention, Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of the apparatus, showing it set ready for firing. Fig. 2 is a sectional plan,the plane of the sectionibeing indicated substan tially by the line m2 in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 isa vertical transverse section at line mi in Fig. 1, showing in elevation the universal mounting of the firearm. Figs. 4 and 5 are illustrative sectional views taken substantially in the plane indicated by line mi m5 in Fig. 1, but showing the moving parts in different positions. Figs. 6 and 7 are face views of the target, the former showingl it with theshield in position, as in Fig'. 5, and the latter showing it out of position, as in Fig. 4. Fig. 8 -is an enlarged side view of the trigger mechanism in the pistol, showing the parts in the position they occupy after firing. Fig. 9 is a perspective view illustrating .a form of universal mounting for the pistol somewhat different from that seen in the principal views.

As the device is herein shown'as adapted 5o for short-range firing with a pistol or with a rearm simulating a pistol, the firearm will be referred to hereinafter as a pistol.

1 designates any suitable form ofv casing,

hollow base, or supporting-frame for the 55 mechanism. Preferably this part will befin the nature of a hollow oblong inclosing casing, and it will have at one end an elevated support or casing 2 for the target 3 and at the other end a universally-mounted support 6o or standard 4 for the pistol 5. The casing- 1 may, if desired, be elevated on` supportinglegs, (not shown herein,) and the length of the casing will be such as to permit the target to be placed at the desired distance from the 6 .5

pistol. v

The standard 4, which carries the pistol, is pivotally mounted at its lower end between two upright lugs 6, Figs. 1 and 3, on a turntable 7, rotatable about its vertical axis on a 7o ball-bearing 8 in a fixed bearing 9. This universal mounting provides for all the movements necessary in aiming the pistol, the pivotal mounting Aprovides the up-and-down or vertical play, and the turn-table provides 75 the desired horizontal play. v Within the hollow of the pistol-frame is rotatively mounted on a horizontal axis a disk 10, Figs. 1 and 8, having in its periphery a retaining-notch 11, capable of being 8o engaged by a dog or pawl 12 on the trigger 12. A setting-rod 13 is coupled at 14 to the disk 10 and extends down through a hollow in the standard 4, the turn-table 7, and the bearing 9 below. eratively with mechanism at the target through intermediate levers in the casing,v as will-be hereinafter explained. Extending out rigidly from the pistolstandard to the other end of the casing, wherel the target is 9o situated, is a marker-arm 15. This arm carries at its end a thin marker-disk 16, on which is the marker m. This latter may be a small round black spot simulating a bullet-hole.

It may be explained here that the markerv 9 5 m isl so disposed with respect to the axis of the pistol and the center of the target that the pistol is always aimed at the marker'and This rod is connected op- 8 5 that when the pistol is aimed at the bulls-eye of the target the marker m will be directly behind the bulls-eye. The target will be of some suitable transparent material, as glass, for example, and the usual rings and numerals thereon, Fig. 6, will be marked or printed in any suitable manner. The marker-disk, preferably white, is designed to move about in the space back of and near to the target, and by preference it will be cut from thin sheet metal, with a broad attaching stem 161L pendent from it and secured to the markerarm 15.

So far as'has been described it will be noted that the person aiming the pistol would be able to see the marker m moving about behind the transparent target as he moves the pistol in aiming, and to prevent this a screen is employed, as will now be described.

Mounted in suitable guides 17, Figs. 4 and 5, is a thin opaq ue screen 18, which may move up and down at the back of the target and between it and the marker-disk. Preferably this screen will be of thin sheet metal painted white, and preferably also it will havea pendent attaching portion 18a cut out so as to allow the marker-arm to pass through it and have free play. The lower end of the attaching portion 18 is secured to one arm of an operating-lever 19, fulcrumed at w, the other arm of this lever being coupled at o to an arm of an intermediate three-armed lever 20, the opposite arm of which is coupled to the pendent end of the setting-rod 13, extending up to the disk 10 in the pistol. A spring 21 or an equivalent weight serves to draw down the screen 18 through the medium of the levers 19 and 20. Projecting out from the casing is a lever 22 for setting the parts. The inner arm of this lever takes under the arm of the lever 20, which is coupled to the rod 13. This lever 22 has a spring 23, which holds it elevated normally.

So far as described the operation is as follows: The operator presses down upon the outer arm of the setting-lever 22. This has the effect of elevating the screen 18 and interposing it between the target 3 and the markerdisk 16, and it also has the effect of causing the rod 13 to rotate the disk 10 until the trigger-dog 12 is pressed by the trigger-spring 12b to engage the detaining-notch 11 and hold the disk 10 against rotation. The operator now grasps the handle or stock of the pistol and aims the latter at the target. In doing this he moves the marker-disk 16 about behind the target-screen 18. When he has secured his aim, he pulls the trigger, which sets free the disk 10 and allows the spring 21 to suddenly draw down the screen 18 through the medium of the levers 19 and 20. The

marker m is thus disclosed and indicates the exact spot on the target at which the pistol was aimed.

It is now desirable that the pistol and markerdisk shall be held fast in the position left by marksman after tiring and until the setting'- lever 22 is again operated, and to eil'ect this object the device now to he described is employed.

ln the target-easing back of the target and the marker-disk is mounted a toggle-brake, which mayconsistof a tubular guide 21, iixed to the casing, a brake-plunger 25, mounted slidably in said guide, a toggle 26 back of said plunger for operating it, and a brake-rod 27, coupled to the knuckle of the toggle and extending down into the casing below. ly drawing down on this rod 27 the toggle is caused to drive the plunger 25 out forward, so that it forcibly presses the marker-disk against the front of the ta rget-casing and prevents said disk from being moved through the medium of the pistol and the marker-arm.

The brake-rod 27 is coupled below to one arm of a bell-crank lever 28, the other arm of wh ich is connected by a rod 29 to the third or pendent arm of the lever 20, whereby at the moment the spring 21 draws down the screen 18 it also sets the brake on the marker-disk and locks it fast. The rod 29 will be by preference provided at its ends with right and left hand screw connections 30, whereby the movement ol the toggle-knuckle in setting the brake may be nicely regulated.

The following-described features of construction are preferred; but they may be varied without materially departing from the invention. The screen 18 and marker-disk 1o will be in color a dead white, with the marker m and markings on the target of opaque black. The marker-arm 15 for the sake ol lightness and rigidity will be of steel tubing and the lever 19 and rods 13, 2'7, and 29 also of light tubing. As the standard 4 must play laterally in an aperture in the casing at 1/ in Fig. 1, it will have aiianged collar 31. The pendent end of the turn-table 7 will be screwthreaded and provided with a nut 7 to prevent it from lifting. The spring 21, or weight used as an equivalent means, may be placed at any point where it will accomplish the object sought. After the setting-lever 22 has been depressed and let go its spring again elcvates it.

Fig. 9 shows a universal mounting which may be employed for the pistol-support in lieu of that described. This device consists of a fixed ring 7X, in which is pivotally mounted another ring 6X. The support 1 for thc pistol is pivotally mounted in this last-named ring on pivots at right angles to those on which the inner ring is mounted. Such a mounting` is not in itself new. It will serve for the pistol, although the mounting shown in Fig. 1 is preferred.

Having thus described my invention, ,I claim* 1. 1n a target apparatus, the combination, with a transparent target, a pistol or the like, and a universally-mounted support for the pi s- IOO IIS

having on it a marker, said disk being con- Y nected with and movable with the pistol-support, an opaque screen movable between the marker-disk and the target, and means, controlled by the trigger of the pistol, which operates saidv screen.`

2. In a target apparatus, the combination, with a transparent target, a pistol or the like', and auniversall-y-mounted support for the pistol, of a movable marker-disk back of the target and having on it a marker, rigid means yconnecting the marker-disk with the pistolsupport, an opaque screen movable between the target and marker-disk, means for holding the marker-disk against movement,`and means, controlledv by the trigger of the pistol, for operating said screen and 'disk-holding means. f 1 3. In a target apparatus, the combination, with a transparent target, a pistol or the like, anda universally-'mounted support for the pistol, of a marker-arm carried by said support, a marker-disk back of the target and having on it a marker m, said marker being alined with the barrel of the pistol, a sliding screen movable between the target and said markerdisk, and means, controlled by the trigger of .the pistol, for operating said screen.

4. In a target apparatus, the combination, with a transparent target, a pistol or the like, and auniversally-mountedsupport for the pistol, of a marker-disk back of the target and having on it a marker, said disk being connected with and movable with the pistol-support, an opaque screen movable between the marker-disk and the target, and means, `controlled'by the trigger of the pistol, which operates said screen, said means comprising the coupled levers 19 and 20, the spring 21, coupled to the lever 20, the notched crank-disk l() in the pistol, the setting-rod, coupled at one extremity to said disk and at the other to the lever 20, and the-trigger provided with a dog to engage the notch in the disk 10 and hold the latter against rotation.

5. In a target apparatus, the combination, with a transparent target, a pistol or the like, and a universally-mounted support for the pistol, of a marker-disk back of the target and connected with and movable with the pistolsupport, means for holding the said markerdisk against movement, said means comprising a plunger-brake to press on said disk, a guide forr saidplunger, and a toggle for operating the plunger, and means, controlled by the trigger of the pistol, for operating said ltoggle.

In witness w-nereof Ihave hereunto signed my name, this 27th day of October, 1903, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. K JOHN L. MOCULLoUeH.

Witnesses:

n BENJAMN I-I. HoL'r, WILLIAM J. FIRTH. 

